Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) inability to retain skipper Shreyas Iyer during the IPL 2025 auction has left the franchise management with significant decisions to make. Venkatesh Iyer, the team’s marquee acquisition at INR 23.5 crore in the mega auction, has emerged as a potential candidate for the captaincy. However, reports suggest that the 2024 champions are considering another player for the role. Ajinkya Rahane, acquired at his base price of INR 1.5 crore, is reportedly the frontrunner to lead KKR in the IPL 2025 season, with his selection allegedly influenced by his leadership potential.
Ajinkya Rahane is an accomplished leader, having captained various teams across formats and tournaments. He has also stepped in as captain for the Indian national team in the absence of regular skippers and currently serves as the captain of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy side. In the IPL, however, Rahane’s leadership experience is limited to his tenure with the Rajasthan Royals during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise failed to secure any other candidate for captaincy, which makes Rahane a strong contender for the leadership. “Yes, at the moment it’s 90% confirmed that Ajinkya will be the new KKR captain. He was bought by KKR specifically for the purpose of being a viable captaincy option,” a source quoted.
Earlier, Venkatesh Iyer had expressed his interest in the captaincy role. Following his acquisition by the franchise for INR 23.75 crore, he presented a strong case to the management for the position. “I have always believed that captaincy is just a tag, but leadership is about creating an environment where everyone feels they can play for this team and contribute. If given the responsibility, I would be more than happy to do it,” Iyer stated.
“I had the opportunity to captain the side in Nitish Rana’s absence when he was unfortunately injured, and I was the vice-captain as well,” he added.
KKR might consider appointing Ajinkya Rahane as the full-time captain for the 2025 season while assigning the vice-captaincy to Venkatesh Iyer. This arrangement would also allow Rahane to mentor the all-rounder as a potential future leader. The only other IPL franchise Rahane has led is Rajasthan Royals, during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, where the team registered only nine victories in 24 matches.
Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
